Clamshell-type, self-loading transport wagon

ABSTRACT

There is disclosed a self-loading dump wagon having a pair of half-shell like members forming a material receiving receptacle. The half-shells are supported for movement toward and away from one another for scooping and discharging a load, and for vertical movement to provide ground clearance.

Unite States Patent [1 1 Sunderlin [4 1 @ct. an, 1973 [54] CLAMSHELL-TYPE, SELF-LOADING 2,064,023 12/1936 Maloon 298/25 X TRANSPORT WAGON 2,078,500 4/1937 Maloon 37/126 AC 2,528,550 11/1950 Robb 37/4 [75] Inventor: Donald E. underlin, Washingt 2,573,720 11 1951 Lichtenberg 37 4 x 111. 3,154,868 11/1964 Buchli 298/25 X 3,271,078 9/1966 Klin aman et a1... 298/25 [73] Ass'gnee Calerpma' Tram" Peona, 3,427,075 2/1969 Kres s et a1 298/35 M [22] Filed: Jan. 21, 1972 Primary Examiner-Edgar S. Burr [211 App! 219762 Att0rney-Freling E. Baker [52] US. Cl. 37/4, 37/126 AC, 2299847356, [57] ABSTRACT 51 rm. Cl mo 1 00, 1202f 3/62 There is disclosed a Self-loading p wagon having a [58] Field of Search 298/25, 35, 36, 33; P of half-She like members forming a material 37/4 12 A ceiving receptacle. The half-shells are supported for movement toward and away from one another for [56] References Cited scooping and discharging a load, and for vertical UNITED STATES PATENTS movement to provide ground clearance.

2,052,182 8/1936 Le Bleu 317/126 AC 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures CLAMSIIELL-TYPE, SELF-LOADING TRANSPORT WAGON BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to wagons of the large rock and earthmoving type and pertains more particularly to an improved bottom dump type wagon.

In fulfilling present day requirements for transporting large volumes of earth material and'the like, numerous large capacity vehicles have been designed. One such vehicle is the bottom dump wagon. These bottom dump vehicles are generally provided with laterally swinging bottom doors which come together at substantially the longitudinal center of the body and are simultaneously opened and closed-bysome form of control mechanism.

One drawback to such wagons is that they require one or more loader vehicles for loading. Thus, much time is consumed as the material is scooped up and lifted over the sides of the vehicle placed in the material receiving container thereof. Another drawback is that a large investment in other vehicles is required.

Examples-of such bottom dump type vehicles are disclosed in US Pat. No. 3,254,920, issued June 7, 1966 to Brown et al., and US. Pat. No. 3,271,078, issued Sept. 4, 1966 to Brown et a1, both assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

' SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a self-loading dump wagon.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bottom dump transport'wagon with means to accomplish self-loading. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide a dump wagon with a clamshell-type load container FIG. I is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a view taken generally along lines II II of FIG. l; and,

FIG. 3 is a top quarter view of the apparatus of this invention in operation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a perspective view of a dump wagon constructed in accordance with the present invention. The dump wagon comprises a large material receiving body generally designed by the numeral 10 supported by a suitable frame between rear wheels 12 and front wheels 14. The rear wheel assembly may be independently powered, as in the illustrated embodiment, or not, as preferred. The front wheel assembly may comprise the wheelsof a tractor as illustrated. In the illustrated embodiment, the front wheels comprise the wheels of a two wheel tractor l6 pivotally connected at 18 to the dump wagon.

The dump body 10 is supported between the wheels 12 and 14 by suitable frame means comprising a pair of parallel beams 20 and 22 connected between a forward cross beam 24 and a rear cross beam 26 forming a suitable wheel supported carriage for the dump apparatus.

The dump body 10 comprises a pair of half-shell like members 28 and 30 adapted to come together in abutting engagement along a center line 32 substantially corresponding to the longitudinal axis of the wagon to form a material receiving bowl or receptacle in which to carry materials to be transported.

Each of the shell halves 28 and 30 are supported by a suitable linkage system for permitting movement of the shells away from each other for opening the material receiving receptacle and for raising and lowering the half-shells together for road clearance and the like. For example, the half-shell 28 is supported for pivotal movement outward from the center of the vehicle by means of a pair of links 34 and 36 pivotally connected to and dependent'downward from the beam 22. A pair of linkages 38 and 40 pivotally connect the half-shell 28 at each end to the respective links 34 and 36. These links together form a four bar linkage which may or may not be a parallelogram depending on the desired movement of the half-shell.

The opposite half-shell 30 is likewise supported from a similar link 42 and 44 with a similar four bar linkage comprising links 46 and 48 connecting each end of the half-shell 30 to the responsive depending links 42 and 44. The depending links 34-and 42 are controlled and powered by a pair of clamping jacks or hydraulic motors 50 and 52 pivotally connected at one end to the support frame 24 and the other end to the links respectively 34 and 42. These motors are operative to swing thehalf-shells outward to an open position as shown in phantom and to pull them inward into the closed position as shown.

A pair of lift jacks or hydraulic motors 54 and 56 is provided for moving the half-shells withrespect to the links 34 and 42, and functions to raise and lower the material receiving receptacle. Thus, the two half-shells 28 and 30 are supported by these linkages and:con-' trolled by the hydraulic motors in a manner so that they can be moved apart to dump a load or positioned in readiness to receive a load, and are operative to move together with the lower edge andbttom under a load of material to scoop a load of material between the two half-shells, and to move upward to give ground clearance for movement ofthe transport vehicle.

The manner of operation of the present invention'can best be illustrated by reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. Referring first to FIG. 3, there is illustrated a windrow 62 of material such as sand, gravel or dirt to be loaded or transported by the vehicle. The vehicle can best load material from windrows or individual mounds. The windrows or mounds may be formed by bulldozers, graders or similar earth moving vehicles.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the vehicle approaches a windrow from a position, for example, parallel to the windrow or at an angle such that the vehicle will be in a position substantially as illustrated upon final approach. The vehicle or tractor then rounds the end of the windrow with the rear wheels of the vehicle spaced from the end such that the vehicle arrives at a loading position straddling or extending across the windrow. Thus, with the front and back wheels on opposite sides of the windrow and the jaws of the receptacle in the fully opened position above the windrow, it is in a position to scoop up a load. After maneuvering into position with the jaws directly over the windrow or mound, the vehicle is preferably stopped into position and the jaws or half-shells are maneuvered from their fully opened position to a downward position with the lower edges being brought downward toward the ground, then inward to a closed or engaging position substantially at ground level, scooping the material between the half-shells of the load receiving receptacle. Upon closing of the jaws of the receptacle at approximately ground level, it is then raised to a position as illustrated in FIG. 2 for ground clearance so that the vehicle may then be put into drive position and the load transported to the dump area.

The load may be dumped in any number of ways by controlled manipulation of the hydraulic motors in various combinations. For example, the bowl may be opened simply by relaxing of the liftjacks 54, 56. It can also be opened by extending jacks 50 and 52. A combined actuation of the clamping jacks and lifting jacks may also be utilized to provide a desired manner of opening. it is also apparent that both sets of jacks must be operated simultaneously to achieve a closed or straight drop or lift.

From the above description, it is seen that there is disclosed a self-loading dump wagon .having means comprising a pair of half-shell like members forming a material receiving receptacle in which material is received and transported. The half-shells are supported for powered movement vertically and apart and are operative for scooping material therebetween and raising for ground clearance and for moving apart to dump the load.

While this inventibn has been described with respect to specific embodiments, it is apparent that many changes and modifications may 'be made in the disclosed embodiment without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

l claim:

l. A self-loading dump wagon, said wagon comprising:

a frame supported on wheels and including longitudinally extending support means;

a substantially symmetrical bowl supported below said frame and divided along a line of symmetry to define two halves, each having a bottom and side walls; I r 1 pivot means each including a four bar linkage supporting said halves each with respect to said support means with edges of the bottom wall meeting along said line of symmetry extending longitudinally of said wagon to form said bowl, and power means to move said halves, said power means being operative while said vehicle is stationary to move said bowl halves simultaneously to first open said halves, then lower said halves, then close said halves and then raise said halves so that said bowl is loaded while said vehicle is stationary.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pivot means comprises a first pair of links depending from each side of said frame, and

a second pair of links for connecting each of said halves toeach of said first links.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said power means comprises hydraulic jacks for pivoting each of said first links with respect to said frame; and

hydraulic jacks for moving said halves with respect to said first links.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said frame comprises a pair of parallel beams; and

each of said first pair of links is pivotally supported by one of said beams.

5. A self-loading dump wagon, said wagon comprising: a frame supported on wheels and including two spaced longitudinally extending beams;

a substantially symmetrical cavity forming body supported between said beams and divided along a line of symmetry into two halves, each having a bottom and side walls;

pivot linkage means each including a four bar linkage supporting said halves each with respect to one of said beams with edges of the bottom wall meeting along said line of symmetry extending longitudinally of said wagon to form a receptacle;

first power means to swing said halves together to form said receptacle and to swing said halves apart to dump its contents; and

second power means for lowering said halves to ground level and for raising said halves for ground clearance, said first and second power means being operative while said vehicle is stationary to move said bowl halves simultaneously to first open said halves, then lower said halves, then close said halves and then raise said halves so that said bowl is loaded while said vehicle is stationary.

6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said pivot means comprises a first pair of links depending from each of said beams, and

a second pair of links for connecting each of said halves to each of said first links.

7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said power means comprises hydraulic jacks for pivoting each of said first links with respectto said frame; and

hydraulic jacks for moving said halves with respect to said first links. 

1. A self-loading dump wagon, said wagon comprising: a frame supported on wheels and including longitudinally extending support means; a substantially symmetrical bowl supported below said frame and divided along a line of symmetry to define two halves, each having a bottom and side walls; pivot means each including a four bar linkage supporting said halves each with respect to said support means with edges of the bottom wall meeting along said line of symmetry extending longitudinally of said wagon to form said bowl, and power means to move said halves, said power means being operative while said vehicle is stationary to move said bowl halves simultaneously to first open said halves, then lower said halves, then close said halves and then raise said halves so that said bowl is loaded while said vehicle is stationary.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said pivot means comprises a first pair of links depending from each side of said frame, and a second pair of links for connecting each of said halves to each of said first links.
 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said power means comprises hydraulic jacks for pivoting each of said first links with respect to said frame; and hydraulic jacks for moving said halves with respect to said first links.
 4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said frame comprises a pair of parallel beams; and each of said first pair of links is pivotally supported by one of said beams.
 5. A self-loading dump wagon, said wagon comprising: a frame supported on wheels and including two spaced longitudinally extending beams; a substantially symmetrical cavity forming body supported between said beams and divided along a line of symmetry into two halves, each having a bottom and side walls; pivot linkage means each including a four bar linkage supporting said halves each with respect to one of said beams with edges of the bottom wall meeting along said line of symmetry extending longitudinally of said wagon to form a receptacle; first power means to swing said halves together to form said receptacle and to swing said halves apart to dump its contents; and second power means for lowering said halves to ground level and for raising said halves for ground clearance, said first and second power means being operative while said vehicle is stationary to move said bowl halves simultaneously to first open said halves, then lower said halves, then close said halves and then raise said halves so that said bowl is loaded while said vehicle is stationary.
 6. The invention of claim 5 wherein said pivot means comprises a first pair of links depending from each of said beams, and a second pair of links for connecting each of said halves to each of said first links.
 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said power means comprises hydraulic jacks for pivoting each of said first links with respect to said frame; and hydraulic jacks for moving said halves with respect to said first links. 